Matthew Stoessel, President, Central Catholic High School

Matthew Stoessel, president of Central Catholic High School, spoke with Invest: about holding the school and its students to a higher standard of learning. “Families from all over Western Pennsylvania, and from many different backgrounds, send their sons here.”

What changes have significantly impacted Central Catholic over the past year?

The most significant recent change has been the restructuring of our school’s administrative model. For the first time in 13 years, we have moved away from the traditional single-principal structure and reinstated a president/principal leadership model. Given the size and complexity of our operation, having only a principal is no longer sufficient. As president and chief executive of the school, my primary role is to ensure that the principal can focus entirely on the academic mission, specifically education, curriculum, and faculty development. I oversee other critical areas such as finance, facilities, admissions, marketing, and alumni relations.

We are proud to be the largest Catholic high school in our diocese and the only all-boys school in Western Pennsylvania. Just down the road is Oakland Catholic High School, our all-girls counterpart.

In the private school sector, one of our ongoing challenges is enrollment, especially given the strength of the local public school districts. Communicating and demonstrating our unique value proposition is essential to our continued success.

Additionally, as some of our long-serving faculty members have recently retired, we are actively bringing in new, younger educators to carry our mission forward and bring fresh energy to our classrooms.

As Western Pennsylvania’s only all-boys school, what unique advantages does that distinction bring to your mission and student development? 

At an all-boys school, there are leadership opportunities that may not be available at other schools. It allows us to focus on what it means to be a man who is responsible to the world. In some cases, we have unrealistic expectations because we demand a lot of them from an academic and service standpoint. The Christian Brothers, who have overseen the school for almost 100 years, say that students enter to learn and leave to serve. An all-boys setting is unique for that approach. Families from all over Western Pennsylvania, and from many different backgrounds, send their sons here. 

Are there any current or planned collaborations with nearby higher education institutions in place?

We have very strong, neighborly relations with Carnegie Mellon University (CMU), Duquesne University, and the University of Pittsburgh. The faculty in our STEM programs has friends at CMU who allow us to utilize their facilities. The University of Pittsburgh has been working with our robotics program. We are constantly seeking opportunities for additional collaboration. Duquesne is the largest Catholic higher education institution in Western Pennsylvania, and over 20 of our graduates enroll there every year, more so than any other institution. There are programs and buildings at Duquesne named after our alumni, and many of our alumni have become faculty members there. We have alumni who have established scholarships at Duquesne specifically for Central Catholic students. It is a very special relationship.

What trends or challenges are you seeing in education, and how is the school’s leadership team addressing them?

Many schools are undergoing consolidation because there is a lower number of school-aged children. We are seeing growth in young professionals, but not a lot of families. It’s important to help people understand our value proposition. When they pay tuition to send their son here, we establish high expectations. When boys leave here, whether it’s to go to a public school or another private school, they say it’s much harder at Central Catholic. We wear that sentiment as a badge of honor. Many schools are challenged to lower their standards and expectations to fit within social norms. We hold true to our higher standards and develop men of faith, scholarship, and service. 

What are your main priorities over the next three to five years?

I take pride in being the first layperson and alumnus to serve as president of the school, and I understand the weight that my position carries. We are in an exciting time in the history of our school as we approach our 100-year anniversary. We have an opportunity to set ourselves up for the next 100 years. Our intention is to send boys to college, and more than 97% of our graduates enroll in higher education. In many cases, we are sending young men to institutions around the United States, but 75% of them return to the Pittsburgh area. Pittsburgh people love Pittsburgh, and Central Catholic graduates love it more and want to come home to make a difference in the community. Our hope is that alumni come back and continue the Central Catholic tradition by sending their sons here.